Folding door hinge assembly



July 9, 1963 L. R. DlcKlNsoN ETAL 3,096,539

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July 9, 1963 L. R. DlcKlNsoN ETAL 3,096,539

FOLDING nooR HINGE ASSEMBLY Filed April ll, 1962 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 @wwwUnited States Patent O l 3,096,539 FOLDING DOOR HINGE ASSEMBLY Lloyd R.Dickinson `and William V. Vessalo, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors toMcKinney Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Filed Apr. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 186,693 9 Claims. (Cl.16-176) This invention relates to hinge assemblies for pivotallysupporting Ifolding doors, and more particularly to those that permitthe pivoted edge of a door to move laterally toward the adjacent side ofthe doorway when the door starts to open.

Door mountings of the type :forming the subject matter of this inventionare shown in Patent 3,002,218. By reference to that patent it will beseen that the outer edge portion of one of the panels of a folding dooris pivotally mounted in a doorway by means of pivot pins that projectfrom the top and bottom of the door into bearings mounted in the doorwayabove and below the door. As explained in that patent, the coil springsin the hinge brackets hold the free or unpivoted edge of the dooragainst one side of the doorway while the door is closed, but theypermit the pin bearings and therefor the door to move away `from thatside of the doorway suciently for the door to be opened. Such movementis necessary because during initial pivoting of the door its overallwidth will increase momentarily, due to alignment of thev diagonaldimensions of the panels, and therefore something has to give becausethe free edge of the door was in engagement with the door jamb while thedoor was closed. As the door continues to open, its wid-th decreases andthe coil springs push the bea-rings and pivots back away from theadjacent side of the doorway. From then on, the door `will merely pivotin the bearings as if they were rigidly mounted. The same general ideais shown in Patent 2,987,756, in which, the lower pivot bearing can beadjusted to control the distance that it can be moved away from the sideo-f the doorway.

lt is among the objects of this invention to provide a folding doorhinge assembly, in which the pivoted edge of the door is urged away fromlthe adjacent side of the doorway by the bearing member itself withoutthe use of an auxiliary spring, in which the bearing member does not-slide back `and forth with its pivot pin, in which the bearing membercan be locked in various positions along its support, and in which thelower pivot pin can be moved laterally into and out of its bearingmember.

In accordance with this invention, a door has pivot pins projecting fromits top and bot-tom near one edge adjacent one side of thedoorway.Beneath the lower pin there is a metal bracketthat is formed for rigidmounting in the doorway with its outer end located at the adjacent sideof the doorway. Mounted on this bracket there is a `bearing member thatis provided with a horizontal spring fork extending toward the inner endof the bracket and straddling the bottom pivot pin in engagement withit. The sides of the fork diverge toward the inner end of the bracketand have interior lopposed shoulders -facing the narrow end of the forkand defining with the interior surfaces of the fork a bearing openingrotatably receiving the pivot pin in a location spaced from the narrowend Yof the fork. The diverging sides of the fork will be moved awayfrom each other by the pin when it is lforced laterally from saidopening toward the narrow end of the fork. Upon release of the later-alforce against the pin, the tendency of the expanded fork to contractwill :force the pin back into the bearing opening. Preferably, the

top of the bracket is provided with a series of transverse teeth engagedby a toothed cylindrical transverse member rotatably mounted in thebearing member above the 3,095,539 Patented July 9, 1963 ice teeth. Whenthis member is turned it will therefore adjust the bearing member alongthe bracket. A similar bearing member may be mounted in the track abovethe door lfor receiving the upper pivot pin. The invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a frontView oi a closed folding door;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the door, but with -aportion of the track broken away to show it in section;

lFIG. 3 lis a vertical cross section taken on the line I'II-III of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line IV-IV of FIG.3;

QFIG. 5 is a horizontal section, taken on the line V--V of FIG. 4,showing the upper bearing;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section, taken on the line VI-Vl of FIG. 4,showing the lower bearing; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross section taken on the line VII-VII of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings, a folding door is shown that`is formed from two rigid panels l and 2 hinged together by any suitableform of hinges 3 secured to their backs. The panels` may be ratherthick, in the neighborhood of an inch, for example. Screwed into the topand bottom of panel 1 near its outer edge are upwardly and downwardlyextending pivot pins 4 and 5 that project into bearing members -6 and 7,respectively, mounted in the door frame 8. The opposite or yfree edge ofthe door has an upwardly extending hanger :or guide member 9 that isslidable back and forth in a horizontal channel-shape track 10 securedto the top of the doorway along the top of the closed door. While thedoor is closed, its `free edge engages lor nearly touches the adjoiningside or jamb of the doorway. Its opposite or pivoted edge, however, isspaced a `short distance from the adjacent door jamb. This space may beconcealed by a molding strip 11 secured to the jamb. When the door isopened by pulling on a knob 12 or the like, or by pushing on itsopposite side, the guide member 9 will move along the tr-ack and compelthe door to fold in a well-known manner.

Just as the door starts t-o fold, it increases in width for a moment,but its pivoted edge can move towards the adjacent side of the doorwayto allow this temporary increase in width tor take place. {For 4thispurpose, the pivot pins 4 and 5 on which the door turns are movable intheirbearings toward and away `from the adjacent door jamb. The upperbearing member 6 preferably is molded from a synthetic plastic, such asnylon, and is mounted inside of track 10. The body 14 of the bearingmember is at its outer end portion near the end of the track and -isprovided with a threaded central vertical opening 15 through it, asshown in FIG. 4. A set screw 16 extends -up through the opening andpresses against the top of the track. Bytightening the screw, thebearing member body is pressed down against the lower anges of the trackand thereby is locked in place.

Extending inward from the body 14 of the bearing member is a horizontalspring fork 17, the outer end of which is joined yto the body by meansof integral curved arms 18 as shown in' IFIG. 5. The fork straddles theupper pivot pin and engages it. It also diverges toward the inner end ofthe bearing member, and the inner surfaces of its opposite sides areprovided with opposed curved shoulders 19 that face the narrow end orfthe fork. These shoulders, along with the adjoining interior surfaces ofthe fork, form the side walls of a bearing opening 20, in' which theupper end of the pivot pin can rotate. Extending inwardly along thetrack from the wide end of the fork is a pair of substantially parallelfork extensions 21, the inner ends of which serve as a stop for guidemember 9, shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 4 and 5, to prevent ythe doorpanels from being folded flat against each other. This prevents bindingof the door lwhen it starts to close.

The bearing opening 20 is spaced some distance from the narrow end ofthe fork. Consequently, when lateral pressure against pivot pin 4 urgesit toward the adjacent side of Ithe doorway, due to the door starting toopen, the pin can and will be pushed sideways from the bearing openingtoward the narrow end of the fork. This action will move or spring theopposite sides of the fork away from each other, but upon release of thelateral pressure against the pin the tendency of the expanded fork tocontract to its original size will cause its diverging pinengagingsurfaces to force the pin back toward the wide end of the fork until itreenters the bearing opening and enga-ges shoulders 19 again. It willtherefore be seen that the fork serves not only as a bearing, but alsoas a spring for returning the pivot pin to its bearing opening afterlateral movement away from it. Nevertheless, the entire bearing memberis made in one piece and does not slide back and forth in the track withthe pivot pin after the bearing member has once been adjusted to correctposition.

The bearing member 7 that receives lower pivot pin 5 is mounted on asupporting L-shape metal bracket 25. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, theupright portion of the bracket is fastened to the door jamb Lby means ofscrews 26 extending through vertical slots 27 so that the bracket can beadjusted vertically. Adjustment is effected, while the screws .areloose, by turning a boss 28 projecting eccentrically from a circular cam29 rotatably mounted in Van oval recess 30 in the outer side of thebracket. The cam has a pin 31 opposite the boss rotatably mounted in ahole 32 drilled iin the door jamb. When the boss is turned by ascrewdriver or wrench, the cam pushes the bracket up or down, the slot33 for the boss permitting this.

Like the upper bearing member 6, this one likewise may be molded from asynthetic plastic, such as nylon, and it has a body 35 surrounding thehorizontal portion of the bracket and snugly engaging it. However, thebearing member can be moved lengthwise of its support support foradjustment purposes when desired. To lock the bearing member on thebracket, a cylindrical element, preferably in the form of a bolt 36,extends transversely through the bearing ybody near its outer end and isrotatable therein. A nut 37 is screwed on' one end of the bolt. The bodyof the bearing member adjacent the bottom of the bolt is cut away topermit the body of the bolt to engage the underlying area of thebracket. This area of the bracket is provided with a series of parallelteeth 38 extending across its central portion and engaged bycircumferentially spaced teeth 39 on the body of the bolt. When the nutis loose, the bolt can be turned by a screwdriver to cause theregistering teeth to adjust the bearing member in or out on the bracket.When `the bearing member has been adjusted into the correct position inthis manner, the nut is tightened against it to clamp it tightly againstthe opposite edges of the bracket in order to hold the bearing member in'place` As shown in FIG. 6, the bearing member 7 is provided with ahorizontal spring fork 41 that extends from a point `adjacent the innerside of the bolt toward the inner end of the Ibracket. The outer end ofthe fork is joined to the body ofthe bracket near opposite ends of thebolt lby means of integral curved arms 42. The fork straddles the lowerpivot pin and engages it. It also diverges toward the inner end of thebracket, preferably at a angle, and `the Iinner surfaces of its oppositesides are provided with opposed curved shoulders 43 that face lthenarrow end of the fork. These shoulders, along with the adjoininginterior surfaces of the fork, form the side walls of a bearing opening44 in which the lower end of the pivot pin can rotate. This opening isspaced from the narrow end of the fork so that the pin can be pushedsideways out of the bearing opening toward the narrow end of the fork.Since this will move the opposite sides of the fork away from eachother, the tendency of the expanded fork to contract to its originalsize will cause its diverging pin-engaging surfaces to force the pinback `toward the wide end of the fork again when the side pressure onthe pin is released. 'Ihe fork therefore serves both as a bearing -andas a spring. The pressure of the fork against the pin can be increasedby tightening nut 37 still further, which will reduce the space betweenarms 42.

Preferably, the top of bearing body 35 beneath the fork is provided witha recess 46 so that the fork can' directly engage the underlying portionof the bracket. Also, since it is desirable that the fork support thedoor, the pivot pin 5 is encircled by an integral circular thrust collar47 engaging the bottom of the door. This collar rests on top of thefork, normally around bearing opening 44. The fork shoulders 43 normallywill prevent the pin from being accidentally removed from the wide endof the fork, but as an additional precaution the wide end of the forkmay be provided on top with a pair of vertical projections 48 that willbe engaged by the side of the thrust collar to prevent it from beingmoved laterally out of the fork. In order to remove the pivot pin fromthe fork, when that is desired, all that it is necessary to `do is tolift the door slightly so that thrust collar 47 will clear projections48, and then pull the lower pivot pin sideways out of the wide end ofthe fork, after which the tilted door canl -be lowered enough towithdraw the upper pivot pin from the upper .bearing member.

Of course, this invention is not limited to use with two-panel foldingdoors, or to 4a single folding door in a given doorway.

We claim:

l. A folding door hinge assembly adapted to be mounted in la doorway,comprising a vertical pivot pin `adapted to project from ya door nearone edge adjacent one side of the doorway, a bearing member providedwith a horizontal spring fork straddling said pin in engagementtherewith, means for rigidly mounting the bearing member in the doorwaywith its outer end located fat said side of the doorway, said forkextending toward the inner end of the bearing member and having sidesdiverging toward said inner end, the fork sides having interior opposedshoulders facing the narrow end -of the fork and defining with adjoininginterior isurfaces of the fork a bearing opening rotatably receiving thepivot pin in a location spaced from said narrow end, and said divergingfork sides being movable away from each other by said pin when it isforced laterally from said opening toward said narrow end, whereby uponrelease of said lateral force from the pin the tendency of the expandedfork to contract will force the pin back into said bearing opening.

2. A folding door hinge assembly according to claim l, in which the wideend of the fork is provided with `a pair of substantially parallelextensions forming a door stop.

3. A folding door hinge assembly adapted to be mounted in a track at thetop of a doorway, comprising a vertical pivot pin adapted to projectfrom the top of a door near one edge ,adjacent one side of the doorwayand up into the track, a bearing member yadapted to be disposed in thetrack with its outer end adjacent the end of the track, said memberbeing provided with an inwardly extending horizontal spring forkstraddling said pin in engagement therewith, the outer end portion ofthe bearing member being provided with la threaded vertical openingtherethrough, a set screw in said opening adapted to be pressed againstthe top of the track to hold the bearing member in place, the sides ofthe fork diverging toward the inner end of the bearing member and havinginterior opposed shoulders facing the narrow end of the fork `anddefining with adjoining interior surfaces of the Ffork a bearing openingrotatably receiving the pivot pin in a location spaced from said narrowend, and said diverging fork sides being movable [away from each otherby `said pin when it is torced laterally from said opening toward saidnarrow end, whereby upon release of said later-al `force from the pinthe tendency of the expanded fork to contract will force the pin backinto said lbearing opening.

4. A folding door hinge ascsembly adapted to be mounted in a doorway,the assembly comprising a vertical pivot pin adapted to project from thebottom of a door near one edge adjacent one side of the doorway, .ametal bracket beneath said pin formed tor rigid mounting in the doorwaywith its outer end located at said side of the doorway, and a bearingmember mounted on said bracket and provided with a horizontal springfork extending toward the inner end of the bracket and straddling saidpin in engagement therewith, the sides of the iork diverging toward saidinner end of the bracket and having interior opposed shoulders facingthe narrow end of the fork and dening with adjoining interior suriacesof the fork a bearing opening rotatably receiving the pivot pin in alocation spaced from said narrow end, and said diverging fork sidesbeing movable away from each other by said pin when it is iorcedlaterally from said opening toward said narrow end, whereby upon release'of said lateral force trom the pin the tendency of the expanded fork tocontract will -Sorce the pin back into said bearing opening.

5. A hinge assembly according to claim 1, in which the pivot pin isencircled by a circular thrust collar resting on top of the fork, andthe top of the fork is provided with vertical projections between itswide end and said shoulders substantially engaging the side of saidcollar to prevent accidental removal of the pin laterally from the fork.

6i. A hinge assembly according to claim 1, in which the top of saidbracket is provided with la series of transverse teeth, said assemblyincluding -a cylindrical transverse member rotatably mounted in saidbearing member above said teeth, said rotatable member havingcircumferentially spaced teeth registering with said bracket teeth,whereby when the rotatable member is turned it will adjust the bearingmember Ialong said bracket, and means for locking the rotatable memberagainst rotation.

7. A hinge assembly according to claim 6, i-n which said rotatablemember is in the form of a bolt, and said locking means is a nut screwedon one end of the bolt and tightly against said bearing member.

8. A folding door hinge assembly adapted to be mounted ina doorway, theassembly comprising a vertical pivot pin adapted to project from thebottom 'of a door near one edge adjacent one side of the doorway, arectangularl metal bracket beneath said pin formed for rigid mounting inthe doorway with its outer end located at said side of the doorway, abearing member provided with 6 a body engaging the bottom and oppositeside edges of said bracket :and extending across the top of the bracketnear said outer end, and means rigidly connecting the bearing member tosaid bracket, said bearing member including a horizont-a1 spring forkengaging the top of said bracket and strad-dling said pin in engagementtherewith, the fork being connected at one end to said body andextending toward the inner end of the support, the sides of the forkldiver-ging toward said inner end of the bracket and having interioropposed shoulders facing the narrow end of the fork and defining withadjoining interior surtaces of the fork a bearing opening rotatablyreceiving the pivot pin in a location spaced from said narrow end, andsaid diverging fork sides being movable away from each other by said pinwhen it is rorced laterally from said opening toward said narrow end,whereby upon release of said lateral force from the pin the tendency ofthe expanded fork to contract will `force the pin back into said bearingopening.

9. A folding door hinge assembly `adapted to be mounted in a doorway,the assembly comprising a vertical pivot pin adapted to project from thebottom of a door near one edge adjacent one side of the doorway, arectangular metal bracket beneath said pin formed for rigid mounting inthe doorway with its outer end located at said side of the doorway, abearing member provided with a body surrounding said bracket andslidable lengthwise thereon, and a cylindrical transverse memberrotatably mounted in said body above -said 'bracket near its outer end,the top of the bracket Ibeneath said rotatable member being providedwith a series of transverse teeth, said rotatable member havingcircumferentially spaced teeth projecting therefrom and registering withsaid bracket teeth for adjusting said body along the bracket, saidbearing member including a horizontal spring fork straddling said pin ineng-agement therewith and connected at one end by arms to said body nearsaid rotatable member, the fork extending toward the inner end of thebracket and having sides diverging toward that end, said sides havinginterior opposed `shoulders facing the narrow end of the fork .anddefining with adjoining interior surfaces of said sides a bearingopening rotatably receiving the pivot pin in a location spaced fromksaid narrow end, and said diverging fork sides being movable away fromeach other by said pin when it is forced laterally `from said openingtoward said narrow end, whereby upon release of said lateral force fromthe pin `the tendency of the expanded fork to contract will force thepin back into said bearing opening.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,901,767 Odlum Sept. 1, 1959 2,962,319 North et al. Nov. 29, 19602,987,756 Hollansworth June 13, 1961 3,002,218 Hollansworth Oct. 3, 1961

1. A FOLDING DOOR HINGE ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN A DOORWAY, COMPRISING A VERTICAL PIVOT PIN ADAPTED TO PROJECT FROM A DOOR NEAR ONE EDGE ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF THE DOORWAY, A BEARING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A HORIZONTAL SPRING FOR STRADDLING SAID PIN IN ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS FOR RIGIDLY MOUNTING THE BEARING MEMBER IN THE DOORWAY WITH ITS OUTER END LOCATED AT SAID SIDE OF THE DOORWAY, SAID FORK EXTENDING TOWARD THE INNER END OF THE BEARING MEMBER AND HAVING SIDES DIVERGING TOWARD SAID INNER END, THE FORK SIDES HAVING INTERIOR OPPOSED SHOULDERS FACING THE NARROW END OF THE FORK AND DEFINING WITH ADJOINING INTERIOR SURFACES OF THE FORK A BEARING OPENING ROTATABLY RECEIVING THE PIVOT PIN IN A LOCATION SPACED FROM SAID NARROW END, AND SAID DIVERGING FORK SIDES BEING MOVABLE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER BY SAID PIN WHEN IT IS FORCED LATERALLY FROM SAID OPENING TOWARD SAID NARROW END, WHEREBY UPON RELEASE OF SAID LATERAL FORCE FROM THE PIN THE TENDENCY OF THE EXPANDED FORK TO CONTRACT WILL FORCE THE PIN BACK INTO SAID BEARING OPENING. 